"Open."
The dried corpse began to struggle.
Despite its withered body, its struggle was incredibly strong.
From the desiccated flesh, it seemed to possess immense power, shattering the lightning chains one by one.
Boom.
The Sky Pillar region erupted.
Furious lightning obscured the sky, a colossal lightning dragon stretched across the firmament, its divine might spreading in all directions.
Lightning annihilated the world.
The great dragon rolled and pressed down from above.
"Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate."
A voice slowly resonated.
Chen Fan raised his hand and made a light slash.
With a single sword strike, a vast portal appeared.
The immense portal seemed to stand as the sole, true self between heaven and earth.
Creak.
The gate opened.
A violent suction emanated from within.
The lightning dragons were drawn into the heavenly gate. No… that was a World Gate.
The World Gate, absorbing lightning from all directions.
…
The Sky Pillar region trembled.
In the chaos, the four Great Emperors in pursuit sensed it.
Whoosh.
The gazes of the four turned towards the Sky Pillar region.
The scarred Feathered Great Emperor was beside himself with excitement. "It's the Lord of Light! The Lord of Light has come to receive me."
"Haha."
He burst into laughter. "The Lord of Light has made a move, haha."
This confidence stemmed from the might of the Sky Pillar.
No one below the ninth rank could cause such a commotion around the Sky Pillar.
Only a ninth-rank being possessed such boundless power.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three pursuers immediately tensed.
"Lord of Light?"
Could it truly be him?
Their gazes seemed to pierce through countless miles, seeing the edge of the lightning domain where the Sky Pillar resided.
The ferocity of the lightning was something they had never witnessed before.
Myriad lightning dragons covered the land, accompanied by thunderous giants wielding thunder god hammers, rampaging over a vast area.
"Swish."
The Feathered Great Emperor accelerated.
He believed it was the Lord of Light coming to his rescue.
It could be no one else.
The three behind him wore grave expressions, but their speed did not falter.
"Slash."
A wooden sword struck out.
A Dao sword materialized above the Feathered Great Emperor.
The sword plunged into the Feathered Great Emperor's body.
"Roar."
The Feathered Great Emperor let out a painful roar.
It hurt.
But his speed did not diminish in the slightest.
He dared not stop; if entangled by the three, he would surely perish.
Though he was confident he could take one with him, he… he did not want to die.
He, the Feathered Great Emperor, who held a position second only to the Lord of Light in the Great Bright Domain, how could he fall here?
The Feathered Great Emperor burned his essence blood, his bloodied form charging towards the Sky Pillar region.
"Dong."
From behind, the Dragon King landed a punch, making the Feathered Great Emperor cough up blood.
The Crimson Sun Great Emperor kicked out a sun.
The sun distorted space and appeared before the Feathered Great Emperor, attempting to block him.
Even if the Lord of Light arrived, they would still capture the Feathered Great Emperor.
The Sky Pillar was not so easily breached.
"Shatter for me."
The Feathered Great Emperor roared and crashed through the blocking sun.
His physical body emerged from the shattered sunlight, the Feathered Great Emperor, with his body covered in scorch marks, rapidly streaked towards the site of the lightning eruption.
From behind, the Sword Master said with a grave expression, "It must be the Lord of Light attacking the Sky Pillar, trying to escort the Feathered Great Emperor out of the lightning domain."
The Dragon King said, "The Lord of Light should not be able to break through the Sky Pillar's blockade."
If he could, he would have done so long ago.
For a million years, why wait until now?
"Heh."
The Crimson Sun Great Emperor's lips curled. "Then we'll keep him. We absolutely cannot let him be drawn away."
The Dragon King and the Sword Master nodded.
Why else would they have pursued him this far, to this place? It was to keep him here.
Not one of the invaders of the lightning domain would escape this time.
"Kill."
The three attacked furiously, causing the Feathered Great Emperor to bleed incessantly.
Yet, he did not stop in the slightest.
He just ran headlong.
He had reached the lightning region.
"So much?"
Even the Feathered Great Emperor was shocked by the sheer amount of lightning.
The Lord of Light's hand was truly immense; countless Sky Pillars in the north were in upheaval.
Great dragons churned, blotting out the sky.
"My Lord…"
At this moment, the Feathered Great Emperor roared, "I'm going to charge in."
Boom. DAFENG NOVEL NETWORK
The attacks from behind struck again.
The Feathered Great Emperor was heavily wounded and plunged into the lightning.
The Lord of Light would surely hear his call, and then, he would carve a safe path for him.
As long as he escaped the lightning domain, he would live.
"Roar."
The Feathered Great Emperor seemed to hear an enraged roar.
The roar came from the lightning giants.
It was anger towards an intruder.
Another ant daring to challenge the majesty of lightning.
Rumble.
All the lightning erupted, ferociously suppressing and killing.
The lightning struck the Feathered Great Emperor, tearing his flesh.
"Where is the passage?"
The Feathered Great Emperor shrieked miserably as he was struck.
…
Bang.
The last lightning chain snapped.
The dried corpse walked out.
"Haha."
At this moment, the dried corpse roared with laughter that shook the heavens.
He… was finally free.
The lightning from the Sky Pillars descended even more ferociously.
But the dried corpse ignored it all.
Having endured lightning for a million years, he was accustomed to it; his flesh and bones had long been forged by the lightning into something akin to divine metal.
The lightning fell upon him, yet he remained unmoved.
A hint of crimson madness climbed into his eyes.
His gaze slowly shifted to the youth absorbing the lightning.
A trace of greed climbed into his eyes. "Little one, I am free now. How do you wish for me to repay you?"
The greed in his eyes was chilling.
Chen Fan smiled, tilting his head to look at the dried corpse. "I asked, would you do it?"
He could see the dried corpse's inner turmoil; the other seemed to… regard him as prey.
"Jie jie."
The dried corpse chuckled ferociously, his ferocity in his eyes undisguised.
Then, his gaze turned to the realm of life and death, his greed intensifying. "My body is withered now, and I need energy to replenish. I see this world has become a burden to you. How about I help you out and deal with it for you?"
He intended to… devour this world.
"Alright."
Chen Fan smiled. "As long as you can do it, please…"
He had actually… agreed.
The dried corpse paused, looking at Chen Fan with a strange smile.
After a long moment, the corner of his mouth split. "Since that is the case, I shall fulfill your wish."
Boom.
As he spoke, boundless might erupted.
The dried corpse's hand reached towards the realm of life and death. Before it even touched, the realm of life and death began to tremble.
The power of an eighth-rank being was about to shatter the realm of life and death.
"Hoo."
Across from him, Chen Fan exhaled a quiet breath.
The Ama-no-Murakumo sword in his hand was emitting an incredibly radiant divine light.
A smile climbed onto his face. "An eighth-rank with only a body left, you… won't disappoint me, will you?"
Zheng.
The Ama-no-Murakumo sword trembled.
Not in fear, but with a sense of impatience.
"Then… let's try?"
The fires of battle began to ignite.
The next moment, Chen Fan suddenly let out a great roar.
"Seventh rank, break for me."
He suddenly opened his mouth, and boundless lightning was wildly devoured by him.
His aura began to climb steadily.
All the lightning entered his body, transforming into the purest energy.
Boom.
In the sky, the thunderclouds exploded.
The youth below instantly entered the seventh rank.
The Great Emperor realm, a level many could not cross for a million years.
But Chen Fan… only took a single breath.